Nine-year-old Trenton Mitchell poses for a photo at Aventura Park in Inspirada, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020.
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 | 2 a.m.
There was a trick to stop Trenton Mitchell from crying. Family members would put the baby in front of the television to watch football. Almost instantly, there was a peaceful silence as Trenton was mesmerized by the game action, especially when the Chicago Bears were playing.
Trenton is now the one who is mesmerizing onlookers.
The 9-year-old local is a standout flag football player for the Apex Predators of NYS Nevada, a youth football league, frequently producing highlight-reel plays that draw fans from other games at a park to watch the fourth-grade wide receiver put on a show. He scores in a variety of ways — outracing the defense for a long pass or run, returning an interception, or jumping over the opponent to haul in a pass.
“He’s just a special kid,” coach Michael Anderson said.
He’s so special that when team officials saw an advertisement from the NFL soliciting highlight videos from youth players for a contest, they pieced together top moments from Trenton’s domination for a submission. A few days later, Trenton’s mother, Traci, received a phone call while at work from a number she didn’t recognize.
Trenton was one of 32 children ages 9-12 whose one-minute video was picked for the NFL’s “Next 100 Super Bowl Contest,” which includes a trip to Sunday’s Super Bowl. Trenton and his mother will be in Miami for five days of Super Bowl activities, including being on the field prior to the game between the Chiefs and 49ers.
Even better: The children will be filmed running onto the field for a segment to be aired as part of a commercial during the game. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.
And he’s not the lone local kid whose film caught the eye of the league. Caden Cadaval, who competes in tackle football for the Henderson Cowboys, was also picked. Steelers great Rod Woodson delivered the news of the Super Bowl trip at the Cadaval house and gave Caden an autographed jersey — a thrill for the youngster, who is a Steelers fan.
“I’m so proud of myself,” said Caden, 9, who was the league’s MVP in the fall for his performance at running back, quarterback and cornerback. “ ...You have to work for it. You can’t go easy on yourself.”
The highlights for each show the most dominating player on the field.
Trenton has an advanced knowledge of football fundamentals for a child, running routes with long strides and accelerating into open space when he catches a pass. He rarely drops the ball.
“My favorite thing to do is get an interception,” he says with a smile.
He plays on both the Apex Predators’ 8-and-under and 10-and-under teams. Only when he practices with the club’s 12-and-under team does he face a defender who can match his speed.
There’s more to Trenton’s success than ability, Anderson said. “It’s his love for the game and his willingness to study the game,” the coach says.
Trenton has been playing for a little over a year. However, the Apex Predators are constantly competing, playing in three seasons of about 10 games each calendar year and traveling for tournaments. They won a regional in the fall in Mesquite and this month competed at nationals in Florida.
Caden also is a standout in baseball as a shortstop for an 11-and-under travel team.
“He’s just a very athletic kid,” Stacey Cadaval, his mother, said. “We knew he was a special player. But we never imagined he would be one top kids in the nation.”
The Super Bowl trip includes airfare, hotel, spending money and two tickets to the game. They will participate in the 2020 NFL Play Football Family Festival, which includes a clinic by USA Football and parents’ forum.
And, if Trenton has his wishes, it won’t be his last Super Bowl. His dream “is to be a NFL player.”
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
